23 May 2022
Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter
In today’s first reading we see the story of how Lydia, a dealer in purple goods, prevailed upon Paul to avail himself to her resources. A bit of inside information may help fill out the story. Purple was an expensive cloth and to this day it indicates higher rank in the church. We can presume from this mention of purple that Lydia was a woman of means. No surprise that Luke mentions a woman in his Acts of the Apostles. In his gospel, stories and parables are frequently paired with male and female protagonists. Lydia stands in the tradition of the Blessed Mother whose “Yes” to God stands as model for all Christians. Women who follow the example of Mary, such as Lydia, fill the annals of Christian history. Although there are plenty examples of poorer and middle-class women that serve as examples of Christian charity, lots of examples can be found of wealthy and “high Society” ladies like Lydia, pitching it all and using their resources and talent to help the work of the church. A few examples must suffice. Claire of Assisi came from a wealthy family, as did Rose Hawthorne. And of course, we cannot forget Delores Hart who was Elvis Presely’s first movie kiss in the 1957 Movie, Loving you. She tossed a lucrative movie career and followed our Lord into the convent. As Mother Delores Hart has noted, God is bigger than Elvis, and Lydia, the dealer of purple goods, would have agreed.